Valve-float.



L.. A. GORNELIUS.

VALVE FLOAT. 11221 10411101! rum 212.27, 1909.

Patented May 16, 1911.

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WITNESSES T"all whqmtt' may comem:

items A. comvELIus, oF-emm) Burns, irrcnream which the is a specification.

. as closet -.t'ar'zksand other tanks designed:

will thereby, actin "beautoinaticallyfilled, it is customary to use, ir;"'connection"with the -outlet pipe, a

valveconsisting essentially of a rubber or elasti bulb, which, being full of air, will."

normally float,bnt which is of suchweight and structurethat, as the tank empties, this bulb will be drawn into and seat itself against the iopenin g in the escape pipe, and, as-a valve, hold this. opening closed until sufiicient force is exerted to raise it from this position. The ordinary rubber bulb or float, by long use,

,' or under specials'tress, tends to become distorted in shape so that it may not perfectly fit the openingyand it is important to retain this bulbpermanently in its substantially normal shape while not interfering with'the flexibility or elasticity which permits it to have its characteristic action. vYarious devices have been used for this purpose, but Ifind my device, hereinafter desiribed, especially eflicacious, simple and c cap. r

I accomplish the desired object by the form of construction shown in the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a vertical cross-section of a rubber float bulb havin -m device attached, and taken on the line -g of Fig. 2. Fig.

2 is a horizontal section upon the line Y-Y of Fig. 1. Fig. 3'is a vertical cross-section showing a modified form of construction.

In these drawings the numeral 1 represents the Wall of the rubber bulb molded or cast in the customary form.

2 is a metal rod having at its upper end the screw-thread 3, which I have shown as carried by an internal open-ended chamber, and having, also, shoulders, or other means for engaging and being held by a surrounding body of rubber.

4 is a horizontal spider, which I have shown as having three arms, and at its center riveted or otherwise attached to the lower end 5 on the rod'2.

6 is a ring'of wire, or othersuitable ma- 'terial, by which ring the spider isfcarried vnr-vn-rnonr.

As a convenient form of engagement, I

have shown the ends of the spider'arms turned over and around the ring, as at 7.

I have shownthe rod 2 as permanently attachedto the spider at its central portion, and aS- terminating at the exterior oft-he bulb. H Obviously, however, the essentialthing is' that this rod should. be suitably connectedto the ring, and that it should atl'ord means of connection with the exterior operating devices.

structecbjby assembling. the ring, the spider 'and -theirod, I insertthe same in the rubber .bulb ingithe process of formation, and the apartsfthen takethe position shown in Fig.

.1. I have shown the customary shoulders, or corrugations, on the upper end of this rod, which serves as a spud, and the customary enlarged body of sblid rubber surrounding the same and,.if desired, vulcan- The metallic part of my. device being conized thereto; but it is apparent that in my; 7

construction the urpose of this enlarged body of solid rub r-,..and possibly vulcanized connection. is largely obviated, since" the pull of the lifting rodis exerted upon the rubber bulb through the ring'6 at the central portion of the-bulb and it is quite impossible for the rod or spud to be lifted or worked loose from its position by'the force of the lifting rod which makes screwthreaded engagementwit h the thread 3.

I find it desirable to construct, as shown,

. a slight'interior groove on the face of the.

rubber bulb at about its center, in which groove the ting-6 may set itself, and in such case I provide; acompensating thickness of rubber upon the outsideof thebulb, but this V groove and this exterior rib constitute 'nopart of the invention, and I do not describe them in greater detail. The ring 6 will normally seat itself 'at-the central and largest.

portion of the bulb if the parts are properly proportioned and without the aid .of'the groove just referred to. This ring 6 prevents the bulb fromicollapsing, and at the same time does not interfere with the flexibility or moderate distortion of the lower portion of the bulb, which may; therefore, adjust itself to the valve seat as perfectly as if the interior ring was not present; but the horizontal diameter of the bulb can not be permanently -modified by a compensating increase in the vertical diameter. as might otherwise'happen, aihd, at the same-time, the

makes certainthe lifting of the bulb upon the nurneral 2.

veloped into a continuous cone, and'the ring very slight lifting of the external operating parts.

In Fig. 3 I have shown a modified. or developed form of the device. The. rod 2 has taken form of the ordinary s and in screw-threaded engagement with. the lifting rod, which, in this figure, l have shown by The spider 4: has been ,de

6' and the inclosing curved ends 7 are developed into the roll 7", the entire lower edge of the cone being turned over or rolled up as to make a continuous ring, andthis ring, being stifi'ened by the presence of the cone in every part, the ring or roll may be much lighter than would otherwise be necessary. The spud or rod 2 is attached to this cone by havin the lower end thereof, 5, upset, or rivete or in any other suitable way. This form of construction has all the'advantages already described, and has the additional merit that the entire spider and ring device may be struck or stamped up very cheaply and simply. There is also provided a measure of reinforcing for the entire upper .half of the rubber bulb, and any tendency to collapse caused by the substantial raising of the bulb against a considerable pressure of water -s met and resisted by this inner reinforcing shell, the extent and operation of the resistance being determined by the distance or space,'if any, permitted between the shell or cone 4; and the surrounding portion of the rubber bulb 1.

I call attention to the fact that the cone;

shaped shell shown in Fig. 3 is a develop merit of the spider shown in Fig. 2, and that the cone does, in fact, contain the three arms of the spider, as well as other arms.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim to have invented, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. In a, device of the character described, the combination of a flexible bulb-valve having a valve stem, a rigid ring in the bulbvalve adapted to hold vthe same against collapsing in the plane of the ring, and'a rigid connection, in form a hollow cone, between the ring and the valve stem, the base of said cone being joined to the ring and the apex to the valve stem.

2. In a device'of the character described, the combination of a bulb-valve having a valve-stem, a rigidring inthe bulb-valve adapted to hold the same against collapsing in the plane of the ring, said bulb-valve being flexible on either side said ring, and

rigid connections between the ring and the valve-stem.

In testimony whcreoi I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing wit- IIBSSBQ.

Louis A, ooRNELIUs;

Witnesses:

MARY S. TooKnR, A. G. Dnm'sorr. 

